Split d-handle



May 12, 1931. w. A. READY 1,

SPLIT D-HANDLE Filed Feb. 19, 1929 aloe Patented May 12, 1931 I wILILrAm A. REjADYQor BROOKLINZE,MASSACHUSETTS 'srLIr -D-HANZDLE Application filed February 19,

My invention aims to provide improvements in D-handles for shovels, forks an like, implements and particularly improve-] ,ments in handles of the wooden spllt-D ,type. 6 In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of myinventione- Figure 1 is a part section and part "elevation of'a handle embodying the features of my, invention; Fig. 2 is an edge view of the handleshown in Fig.1; 'Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 ofFig.1;and- 1 v P Fig. 4 is alsection taken on the line 4- of Fig. 1. .f-

7 Referring to the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings, 1- have shown a handle for shovels and like tools which is generally known as a split D-handle. The handle shown is made of woodwith metal reinforcing elements, and comprises a wood stem 1 sawed through the middle lengthwisefor a portion of its length and bent to provide two diverging arms 2 -2 between the ends of which is secured a grip-piece 3, as shown in Figure 1. The usual rivet 4: (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1) is provided below the end of the saw cut 5 to prevent splitting of the .steml. p V The grip-piece 3 is secured to the ends of the arms 2-2 by meansof a tongue and slot connection. which may be arranged in any suitable manner. One manner of arranging 35.. the tongue and slot connectionhas. been selected for purposes of illustration and will 1- and 3 show the,

s be described. Figures free ends of the arms 2-2 divided by slots 6-6 which extend entirely through the arms from their inner to their outer faces. The grip-piece is provided at each end with a tongue 7 which fits snugly into a cooperating slot 6 in an arm 2, thereby interlocking the grip-piece 3 with the arms'to prevent relative turning. I

The grip-piece 3 is made of woodand has its grain len hwise of the grip-piece for purposeshereinafter described. In this connec- -tion, the tongues 7- 7 are made long enough 5 to. extend-through he sletsfiffitq the ute d Fig. 1.

V as'shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

- tendsdown the side of an arm 2 andis prefer to secure the parts together. A, 1 Heretofore, handles of the .type'illustrated 9 1929. Serial No. 341,132.

edges of the arms 2-2, as clearly shown fin 1 In using a handle of the type illustrated there is a tendency to twist the grip-piece3 and turn it relative to the side armsiand, therefore, with my interlocked construction this twisting stress is imparted tothe portions 8 (Fig. 3) of the arms 22 at the sides of the slots 6-6. As the arms '2-2. arelof wood there would be a tendency to split at the ends of the slots 66. ,To prevent split- I ting of the arms, at their free ends, I have provided reinforcing elements 9 whichiare made of sheet metal and are fitted to the arms Each reinforcing element is provided with a cap portion-9 which fits over the exposed portion of the free end of an arm 2 and also' extends over an adjacent portion of the grippie'ce to conceal the tongue and slot joint .and' 7 back-support the portions 8. The cap fits closely to the arm and,therefore, the twisting stress will be transmitted to the reinforcing element which will prevent splitting of the arm 2. An extension 9 from the cap 9 exably secured against the arm by a rivet 10, as

' shown in Fig. 1.

When the elements of the handle areassembled, a rivet 10 passes through holes 11 in the reinforcing elements 9' and, through a V bore 12 in the grip-piece '3 which passes through the axis thereof from one end fof a" tongue 7 to the otherend of a tongue. 7 This rivet 10 is headed into countersunk portions 13 surroundingjthe holes 11 in the reinforcing elements thereby clamping the reinforcing elements in place and holding the "arms against lateral spreading. The rivets 10 are put in last, so as to draw the tongues 7-1-7 3 down against the wood at the bottom of. the slots 66. I a The metal around the holes 11 in'the reinforcing-elements is strengthened by ribs 14' w (Figs. 1, 2 and 4), shown as three in number on each element, radiating from theholes 11 thereby to prevent distortion of the reinforcing'elements when the rivet 10 is headed 6 6, as shown in Fig. is transmitted to the and described have been secured together in such a manner that the rivet passing through the grip-piece would hold all of the parts in fixed assembled relation so that a pull or push exerted on the grip-piece 3 would not pull it loose from the side arms 2-2. In my device, it should be noted that the rivet 1O through the grip-piece 3 holds the reinforcing elements 9 against the side arms 22 and tongues 7-7 but does not prevent the 'gripplece from being removed from the side arms by a pull exerted upon the grip. Such removal is prevented entirely by the attachment of the reinforcing element to the side arms by the rivetslO at points remote from the rivet 10*. Therefore, with my construction a downward thrust grip-piece 3 is distributed to the side arms 2-2 almost entirely through the contact of the tongues 77 at the bottoms of the slots 1. An upward thrust reinforcing elements 9 and through the reinforcing elements to the side arms 2 Wood will shrink or swell atmospheric conditions and, has been considerable trouble D-handles from this source. VJ hen the central rivet passes through the side arms and grip-piece, the side arms may shrink and the rivet become loose and project beyond the arms or'reinforcing elements to such an extent that it may cause injury to the hands or, clothing of a person handling the implement to which such a handle is attached. Besides this, the joint is somewhat loosened.

IWith my device, shrinkage of the side arms 2-2 does not affect the attachment between the reinforcing elements 9 and the grip-piece 3 because the reinforcing elements are cfamped directly against the end grain of the tongues 7-7 and shrinkage of the wood does not, to any appreciable extent, affect the length of a piece of wood. Therefore, the

depending upon therefore, there with wood split rivet 10 remains tight.

My handle construction is simple, mexpensive, and is exceedingly easy to assemble, besides being strong and durable and, there- 'fore, is well adapted for relatively rough usage. o

' While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, as the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

Claims.

1. A D-handle comprising, in combination, a one-piece stem having one end split to provide two diverging arms at one end of the stem, a grip-piece located between the free ends of said arms, tongue and groove means locking said grip-piece with said arms to prevent'relative turning movement, the grooves extending entirely through the arms, a metal reinforcing element secured directly to each 'metal reinforcing exerted upon the and a rivet passing throug reinforcing arm, each of said reinforcing elements having a portion closely fitting the free end of an arm to conceal the tongue and groove means and strengthen the connection between the arm and grip-piece thereby to prevent splitting and means engaging only the grip-piece and the reinforcing elements to secure the reinforcing elements, arms and grip-piece together against lateral separation.

2. A D-handle comprising, in combination, a stem having one end split to provide two diverging arms, a grip-piece located between the free ends of said arms, tongue and groove means locking said grip-piece with said arms to prevent relative turning movement, a element for each arm, each of said reinforcing elements having a portion closely fitting the free end of an arm to conceal the tongue and groove means and strengthen the connection between the arm and grip-piece therebyto revent splitting the reinforcing elements, tongues and grip-piece andheaded at its ends against the reinforcing 'elements to prevent lateral spreading of the arms, each reinforcing element havin a portionextending part way down the si e of an arm and a fastening element passing through the extended portion into the arm to hold it tightly against the arm and to tening means engaged arms. 8. A split D-handle comprising, in combination, a one-piece stem having one end'split to provide diverging arms, said arms havin slots extending entirely through and to'their free ends, a grip-piece held between the diverging arms at their free ends and having with the diverging .tongues fitting into the cooperating slots in prevent turning of the the diverging arms to grip-piece relative to the said arms, a metal element having a portion fitting over the free end of one of the said armsand preventing splitting adjacent to the slot in the arm, a fitting over the free end of the other arm'and means engaging only the grip-piece and-the reinforcing elements to secure said reinforcing elements, arms'and grip-piece together against lateral separation and other fastening means engaging only the arms and the reinforcing elements to secure the said reinforcing elements and the grip-piece in fixed relation to said arms.

4. A split D-handle comprising, in combination, a stem having one end split to provide diverging arms, said arms having slots through their free ends, a grip-piece held between the diverging arms at their free ends and having tongues fitti g into the cooperatingslots in the diverging arms to prevent turningofthe grip-piece relative to the said arms, the slots extending entirely through provide the only fas second similar rein forcing element faces of the arms, a metal reinforcing element for each arm, each of said reinforcing elements having a portion fitting over the end of an arm to conceal the slot therein and reinforce the portions of the arm at the sides of the slot, each of said reinforcing elements contacting directly with the end of a tongue,

a rivet passing through the reinforcing elements, tongues and grip-piece only an means securing said reinforcing elements to side arms independently of said rivet to prevent pulling the grip-piece and reinforcing elements free from the arms. I

5. A split D-handle comprising, in combination, a wood stem divided at one end and formed into a pair of diverging arms, a wood grip-piece insertedbetween'the free ends of said arms and having a tongue and slot connection at each end with a cooperating arm to prevent relative turning, the grain of the wood grip-piece being longitudinallythereof, a reinforcing element for each arm having a portion fitting over the tongue and slot connection and a rivet passing through the reinforcing elements and the grip-piece and holding said reinforcing elements in direct contact with the end grain of the grip-piece to prevent any loosening as and for the purposes described.

6. A split D-handle comprising, in combination, a wood stem divided at one end and formed into a pair of diverging arms, a woo grip-piece inserted between the free ends of said arms and having a tongue and slot connection at each end with a cooperating arm to prevent relative turning, the grain of the wood grip-piece being longitudinally thereof, a reinforcing element for each arm having a portion fitting over the tongue and slot connection and a rivetpassing through. the

reinforcing elements and the grip-piece an holding said reinforcing elements in direct contact with the end grain of the grip-piece to prevent any loosening,-as and for the pur- 5 poses described, and said reinforcing elements having portions extending downward- 1y along the sides of the said arms and secured directly thereto to hold the parts in assembled relation.

7 In a split D-handle of the class described, a reinforcing element formed from metal and having a hole to permit passage of a rivet and a number of stiffening ribs radiating from the edge of said hole to prevent distortion of the metal around said hole when the rivet is headed to secure it in place.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

. WILLIAM A. READY. 

